Large-scale generation of electric power based on a freely-available, essentially inexhaustible natural resource, such as solar irradiance, continues progressing as an attractive modality for clean and efficient generation of electric power.
The weather-induced variability of the natural resource (e.g., due to cloud coverage variability in the case of solar irradiance) may cause challenges at various levels, such as at a component level, at a subsystem level, at a distribution level as well as on the larger power grid. Known cloud tracking devices may either lack accurate tracking of cloud shape and movement or may be relatively costly.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved apparatus and/or techniques, which at a relatively low cost may accurately and reliably predict solar irradiance variation.